SEPTEMBER 19-21, 2025
Generous cut-offs, unending trail beauty, rockin' aid station and sweet swag... Join us at Wawayanda State Park in Hewitt, NJ for the Wild Goose! We have distances for everyone so keep on reading to learn more. Please check out the Trail Party Handbook for all of the deets! We are supporting our non-profit partner, Bigger Than The Trail with this Trail Party!
TRAIL PARTY DETAILS
WILD GOOSE
Register between November 27 - December 1 to get the best pricing! We have several events running on Saturday and Sunday, camping at the beach plus local vendors to make this a true Trail Festival! Please check out the Trail Party Handbook for all of the deets!
Interested in carpooling? Check out the Sassquad Carpool Assist Program for Saturday and for Sunday!
CHARITY PARTNER
We are proud to partner with Bigger Than The Trail (BTTT). BTTT is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that is using trail running as a platform to advocate for mental health. BTTT's mission is to enrich the lives of individuals struggling with mental health. Through their fundraising efforts, BTTT cost-free therapy to those in need! Please consider making a donation to BTTT when you register for this squatchy trail party.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
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Swag items, bib & safety pins
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Handcrafted Finishers' Medal
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Handcrafted buckles for 100K and 100M finishers
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Aid Stations with hot food (including vegan and gluten-free!), snacks, water, Skratch, open all 36 hours
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Professional Ultramarathon Race Medic (EMT/Wilderness First Responder) + and Ambulance on-site overnight
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Awards for top 3 female, and non-binary and male
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Pizza made on-site for all ultramarathon finishers (100M, 100K, 50M, 50K); vegan pizza available
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Pre-race panels, meeting and film screening on Friday September 19th
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Free camping at the Festival
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Professional race photos
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Access to all clinics in 2025 leading up to the Festival. Check out the clinic line-up HERE!
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The Wild Goose course has a little bit of everything - doublewide trails, rolling singletracks, technical sections with rocks and roots, wood plank boardwalks and a bit of road. There are rocks and roots. The entire course is not technical, but there are definitely stretches that are tech-y. Here is the feedback we hear from runners who have gone on the course and live in the northeast–if you live in Northern NJ or the Hudson Valley area, these trails are not super duper technical. For folks coming from NYC, Long Island, Brooklyn etc these trails are much more technical than city-trails and rail trails. For anyone not used to running in the Jersey Highlands or Hudson Valley, unless your home turf is on very mountainous terrain, you will likely find these trails to be challenging in spots with the rocks and roots while runnable in many others with gravel-y trails. There is an average of around 112 ft elevation gain per mile.
AID STATION
The Volunteer Dream Team truly makes the Trail Magic happen at our Aid Stations! Squatch HQ (the Start/Finish at the Lake) - is where the 36 HOUR PARRTTYYY will be! This is the only aid station for the race (no other aid will be on the course). Squatch HQ will be rockin’ from 7am Saturday until 7pm Sunday night! Our Volunteers will be ready to assist you throughout the event. We work hard to have a variety of nutrition and hydration available at our events. We include many gluten-free and vegan options (upon request, we have separate cookware available to make hot vegan options on our stove). Check out the menu items in the Trail Party Handbook. If you don’t see something that you think would make a great addition to our aid stations, drop us a note and we’ll see what we can do! We always have a fully stocked first aid kit and AED at Squatch HQ. Our first aid kit includes mentrual products and wipes. We have several private changing tents at Squatch HQ that are available before, during, and after the event. Lastly, we have The Jackalope Tent! This is a quiet space that's is available at most of our Trail Parties. The tent is away from the crowds and loud music. Stop by the Jackalope Tent when you need a break. The Jackalope Tent is a multi-use space that is also available for breastfeeding. Why do we call it the Jackalope Tent? Jackalopes are peaceful cryptids and are also excellent singers (usually tenor).
trail party handbook
Our Trail Party Handbook for is extremely comprehensive. Learn about the events, schedule, aid station, lodging, camping, etc etc etc! Please take the time to read through the handbook and then let us know what questions you have.
VOLUNTEER DREAM TEAM
Our Volunteer Dream Team is what makes all of the Trail Magic happen! Join us as a Volunteer at this trail party as we support our squatchtastic running community. We have many Volunteer opportunities available such as Check-In, Aid Station Crew, Course Sweepers etc. Click here to Volunteer!
PACERS
Any participants who are on the course after sunset can have a pacer with them. Pacers need to pre-register with us (no charge) and wear a pacing bib while on the course. We welcome pacers to help themselves at the aid station but request that Crew bring their own supplies.
As with all of our events, Squatchers over the age of 60 and AWD (athletes with disabilities) can have a pacer/guide at any time. Please pre-register your pacer here.
CREW
All runners/hikers can have a Crew join them at the Trail Party for the duration of the event. Crew access is only available at Squatch HQ. Crew are welcome to set up their own pop-up tents at Squatch HQ in the designated areas. All tents and canopies MUST be staked/weighted down. The park collects a $5 parking fee per vehicle (please have exact change in cash).
VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENT
All 100 milers and 36 hour participants are required to complete 8 hours of trail work or trail race volunteering..
Volunteering must be completed between September 19, 2024 and September 20, 2025.
Please use this google form to submit your volunteer hours.
What counts as Volunteering?
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Trail maintenance or trail building with any trail organization in any state or country. Please include the email/phone number of the organizer/supervisor you volunteered with. This is a great resource to find a group to connect with.
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Pick up trash while hiking or trail running.
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Trail race volunteering at a trail race. You can do your Volunteer hours at any trail race.
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Volunteer with a non-profit running organization that promotes running for kids (like Girls on the Run)
If you are unable to complete the volunteer hours, you can make a donation to our Charity Partner Bigger Than The Trail for $100. You can use this link to make the $100 donation to Bigger Than The Trail if you choose to not complete the volunteer hours.
GETTING TO THE RACE
Before you start driving, look through the route in the app that you are using and make sure that it is bringing you to the park through the main entrance on Warwick Turnpike. It is critical that you take a minute to look at the route before driving. You want it to bring you into Wawayanda at the Park Office; this entrance will always be open. Please use these gps coordinates for the Park Office: 41.198038, -74.397315 When you enter the park through the main entrance on Warwick Turnpike, follow signs to Wawayanda Lake/The Beach. It will take about 5 minutes to get there from the entrance on Warwick Turnpike. You can view screenshots of Google Maps in the Trail Party Handbook.
Some gps apps will want to take you to the Main Entrance by cutting through the Auxiliary Gate; but this gate will be closed on Saturday and Sunday Morning. AGAIN, PLEASE look at your phone GPS to make sure it is taking you to the main entrance via Warwick Turnpike and not through the park via the Auxiliary Entrance. If you end up at the Auxiliary Gate, it will take another 20 minutes to drive around to Warwick Turnpike.
The park charges a $5 parking fee per vehicle. Please have exact change in cash.
Interested in carpooling? Check out the Sassquad Carpool Assist Program for Saturday and for Sunday!
Navigating a DNF with Therapist Sarah Strong, LCSW
2024 Wild Goose Trail Festival Pre-Race Q&A
Mental Health Q&A with Sarah Strong, LCSW
Q: What's the weather like in Hewitt, NJ in September?
A: Friends don’t lie... It will likely be cold. High probability for snow on the trails. Probably. Maybe. It could be warm. Check the weather for zip code 07442 before the race and dress appropriately. We had a tropical storm in 2023, so odds are that won't happen again...
Q: What food will you have at the aid station?
A: Eggo Waffles, New Coke, Cherry Slurpees, corn dogs and Scoops Ahoy ice cream... We will have a wide variety of traditional ultra running food, as well as many vegan and gluten-free items. You are more than welcome to bring your own food/water and setup your own aid station in the parking lot. You will come back to the lot after every loop. Please BYO-cup/bottle!!
Q: Are there restrooms at the start/finish area?
A: There are restrooms and changing stalls at the start/finish area.
Q: This will be my first trail race. What do I need to know?
A: Mornings are for coffee and contemplation. Seriously, we are SO EXCITED that you are choosing a Sassquad event for your first trail race! This is a great choice for your first race because these trails have a bit of everything! You'll run on easy carriage roads, technical singletracks and enjoy flat trails and some rolling hills. You're going to LOVE it!
Q: Can I have a pacer?
A: Any participant who is on the course after sunset can have a pacer. As with all of our events, Squatchers over the age of 60 and AWD (athletes with disabilities) can have a pacer/guide at any time.
Q: I can't come to the Trail Party anymore, can I get a refund?
A: Like many other race organizations, we do not offer refunds for our events. Please take the time to double check your calendar before registering for a Trail Party. Please understand that we do not offer refunds under any circumstances. If you notify us via email (not through social media, text or phone call) more than 21 days from the date of the Trail Party, we will extend a deferral to any of our events that fall within one calendar year of the Trail Party that you were registered for. If you sustain an injury less than 21 days from the race date, we will extend a deferral if you come to that race to volunteer for at least 4 hours. If the race that you want to drop from is sold-out with an active wait-list and are able to fill your spot: if you notify us via email (not through social media, text or phone call) at least 3 days before the race, we will extend a deferral to any of our events that fall within one calendar year of the Trail Party that you were registered for. The race credit is the amount that you paid for the race (not including UltraSignUp fees) so you will need to cover any difference in fees; refunds will not be issued if the deferred event costs less than your race credit. You can only defer one time so please doublecheck that you can make the race you're deferring to.
Q: I could get lost in a brown paper bag. Will the course be marked?
A: We will have bright colored ribbons along the course and plenty at all of the turns. All of the markers have reflective tape so your headlamp will pick 'em up at night.
Q: Me and my friend aren't registered for the race, but we're still planning on coming to run. We won't eat from the aid station or take a medal or swag. This is okay, right?
A: NO THIS IS NOT OKAY. This is called being a "race bandit" and it is stealing. Not paying for a race and running the race is stealing from the race organization (even if you're not taking food or swag). Don't do this at a Sassquad trail party or ANY other race. It's not okay. If you bandit a race, you will be banned from registering for any of our Sassquad events.
Q: Can we bring a solo stove for a bonfire? How about a gas grill?
A: Personal fires and bonfires (like a solo stove) of any type are not allowed. Our fire permit only covers the bonfire we are supervising at Squatch HQ. You can use any of the charcoal grills that are available throughout the picnic groves (BYO-charcoal)
Q: Can I bring my dog?
A: Sorry, but Chester has to stay at home for this race. Our liability insurance does not cover dogs at our events; thank you for understanding!
Q: Can I sign my kids up for the Trail Party?
A: Yes! We want the WHOLE family to come out to our events! We have a special discount code for families registering 3 or more Squatches in the same household. Please email us (trailpartydirector@sassquadtrailrunning.com) before you register so we can give you the code! Once you have the code, be sure to register your child separately and agree to the waiver for minors. And make sure to keep track of Dustin, Mike, Will and Lucas before during and after the race. We only have 1 search-party and they're already out there looking for Sasquatch.